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Monsanto pledged to increase its water-use and nutrient-use efficiency, as part of its larger ongoing sustainability commitment. It made the announcement at Walmart’s Sustainable Products Expo, an assembly of 12+ major food companies also committing to “accelerating sustainable agriculture and recycling.”

Monsanto says it will increase its irrigation water-use efficiency by 25% by 2020 in its global seed production operations, saving 30 billion to 80 billion gallons of water annually, says Hugh Grant, Monsanto chairman and chief executive officer.

As a frame of reference, a single cup of coffee requires 35 gallons of water in its production, Grant estimates.

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Expanded drip irrigation use will help reach the goal, Monsanto added. Drip enables up to 95% efficiency water use, compared with other systems that range from 50 to 65% efficiency, Grant says. Monsanto has already deployed these systems at facilities in water-stressed areas like India, Hawaii and Mexico.